Can package



Aug. 14, 1956 J. v. MANNERS CAN PACKAGE Filed Jan. 4, 1954 FIIEI E IIIIIII'IIII;

UIIIIIIIIIIIII f IN V EN TOR. a'o/m/ 1/. MAM/N54! United States Patent() CAN PACKAGE John V. Manners, Oakland, Galif. Application January 4, 1954, S'erialNo. 401,750

4 Claims. (Cl. 206.65&

This invention relates to packaging devices, and particularly, to a package. for holding a plurality of cans in aunitary group.

It is among the objectsv of this invention to provide a package whereby a plurality of cans are securely held in. a unitary group with a major portion of the cans substantially fully displayed.

Another object of the. invention. is to provide a carton in and on which a plurality of' cans are grouped and held together as a unit for display and sale.

A further object is to provide a. package comprising a carton arrangedto contain. a limited'nu'mber of cans, and provided with bracket tabs for supporting an equal' number of cans on the sides thereof to form a compact and readily transportable package.

A still further object is to provide a carton of small size and low cost arranged to provide. a package for grouping cans in unitary lots of at least three times the capacity of the carton'itself. The invention'has-ot-her objects and features. of advantage, some of which with the foregoing will be explained in the following description er that form of the invention illustrated in the drawing: It is to he understood that the invention is'not limited'to the embodiment. illustrated; as" it may' be embodied inother forms within the definition of-the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a package embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the package, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional detail view, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a carton blank, cut and creased for folding in conformity with the present invention for the purposes thereof.

In terms of broad inclusion, the package of the present invention comprises a carton of cardboard, or other suitable material, arranged to receive two or more cans in side by side relation. Tabs cut from the side walls of the carton are arranged to extend outwardly from the sides of the carton to provide brackets for supporting additional cans against the sides of the carton in line with the cans enclosed therein. The outside cans are bound against the carton sides by a strip of adhesive tape, or other suitable binding material, wrapped around the assembled cans and carton for securing them in their assembled relation. Preferably, finger holds are formed in the top edges of the carton, between adjacent cans to provide a grip by which the package may be lifted and carried.

In terms of greater detail, the package of the present invention comprises a carton designated in general by the numeral 1 for containing a plurality of cans 2, and for supporting additional cans 2 bound together around the carton, to form a unitary package, by a binding strip designated in general by the numeral 3, as shown in Fig. 1

of the drawings.

2,758,711 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 Tire carton 1 is formed from a blank of cardboard or other suitable fibrous material cut and creased, as indicated in Fig; 4-, to' form side wall panels 6, end' wall panels 7, bottom closure flap panels 8 and top closure flap panels 9. Tabs 11 are cut from side wall panel 6 adjacent-the bottom closure panels 8, the tabs being joined to the adjacent closure panel" 8 along a line coincident with the juncture of said' closure panels with the side wall panels. The junctures between the tabs 11 and the closure panels 8 are not creased; the tabs being formed to constitute "a unitary integral part of the closure panels, and being movable therewith to and extending outwardly from the side wall panels-6 inthe planeof the closure panels 8' when the carton is set up, as shownin Fig. 2 or the drawings. Crease marks 1-'2-, 13*a-nd'1 4 are prefera-lily formed at the juncturesbf the closure liappanels 8 with the side panels G at the sides and between the tab portions 11 to facilitate bending of theclosure panels to their closing position. The corresponding juncture linebet-ween the panel 8 and the tabs -11 is left uncrea's'ed so that the tabs will normally move with the panel- 8; and remain inthe same plane therewith, as the carton is erected; 1

Finger openings 1 6 areformed in the blank, centered upon the crease juncture lines 17 along which the top closure panels are joinedto'the sidewalls 6; Preferably the top and bottomclos urepanels ti and*9-'-are dimensioned tomeetsubstantially midway between theside panels '6 when the carton is erected, as illustrated inthe drawi-ng. However; theolosuresmay" be shaped to overlap to any desired degree, and if desired may extend emtirely' across the width 'of the erected carton to provide added strength and rigidity where required.

"Flieend panels 7 are joinedi to the side: wall panels 6 along creased lines 1 8 pressed into the blank'to facilitate the shaping of the-'carton'to erected form.

Bottom sealing tabs '21 are formed an thelower: ends of' tliebnd tabs Tin line witlrtlie bottom 'cl'o'sure panels 8. Si'r'nilarly, top: sealing tabs 22 are formed on the upper*end"of*eac'h wall -panel finz line with the top: closure panels 9. The sealing tabs are severed at their side edges from the adjacent end closure panels, so that they may be folded inwardly and secured in overlapping engagement therewith, when the carton is erected, by adhesive material applied over the stippled areas of the sealing tabs as indicated in Fig. 4. An end sealing tab 23 is joined to the wall panel at one end of the blank along a crease line 24. The tab 23 is folded inwardly to fold against the inner face of the wall panel at the other end of the blank, to which it is secured by adhesive applied over the stippled area shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The carton blank is erected by bending the blank along the crease lines 18 and 24 .to form a rectangular body held in shape by adhesive attachment of the end sealing tab 23 to a matching edge of the panel positioned at the opposite edge of the blank. The top and bottom sealing tabs 21 and 22 are bent inwardly, and the closure panels 8 and 9 are bent inwardly to overlie the tabs 21 and 22 to which they are secured by adhesive applied to the stippled areas of the tabs, as indicated in Fig. 4. Prior to closing the top of the carton, cans 2 are placed in the carton so as to be enclosed therein when the top closure elements are moved to closing position.

As the bottom closure panels 8 are moved to their closing posit-ion across the bottom of the erected carton, the tabs 11 are swung to positions extending outwardly from opposite sides of the erected carton in the plane of the bottom closure panels 8, as best illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These tabs, being integral with the bottom panels 8 provide a sturdy bracket support for cans 2 placed against the sides of the erected carton with their bottoms resting on the tabs 11.

After the cams have been so positioned, the binding strip 3 is then wrapped around the assembled group to secure the outside cans against the sides of the carton in alignment with the cans contained therein to form a unitary package which may be readily lifted and transported by means of the finger holes 16. The binding strip 3 may be of any suitable material, as for example, Scot-ch tape, gummed paper or fabric, or other suitable binding material which may be wrapped and secured around the assembly. The major portions of the cans on the outside of the container are uncovered, and the cans themselves provide an effective display of their labels and advertisement of the product contained. The use of a transparent binding strip 3 increases the efiectiveness of this display, by lessening the concealment of the labels, and such strip is preferred for that reason.

As illustrated in the drawings, the package is designed for a unit of six c-ans grouped and bound together for display and easy transportation. In this embodiment, the carton itself is of relatively small size, and may be produced at low cost. The carton provides sufiicient rigidity to hold the group in assembled package form at substantially less cost than would be required to enclose all of the cans, and in addition provides an effective display not otherwise obtainable. The size of the carton may of course be increased to accommodate three or more cans in line, with a corresponding number of outside cans supported along opposite sides of the carton to provide a larger package. Likewise, the carton could be made of a square outline to accommodate two or more cans in both directions, with additional rows of cans on the sides or ends, or both sides and ends. Obviously, tabs 11 could be provided in the end panels 7 of the embodiment illustrated to support cans bound to the ends of the carton in alignment with the cans contained therein, in case a package of eight cans is desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A can package comprising a carton having side and end walls and top and bottom closures, tabs cut from the side walls and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the carton in the plane of the bottom closure, cans supported on their ends on the tabs at each of the sides of the carton in line with cans contained within the carton, and an adhesive strip extending around the carton and cans supported on the tabs and binding said cans against the carton.

2. A can package comprising a carton provided with side and end Walls and top and bottom closures, the upper closures and side walls having cutouts forming finger holds at the top of the carton, tabs cut from the side walls adjacent the bottom closures and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the carton in the plane of the bottom closures, two cans supported on their ends within the carton and two cans supported on the tabs at each of the sides of the carton in line with the cans within the carton, and a length of tape extending around the carton and the outside cans and binding the same together as a unit.

3. A can package for like cans comprising a unitary carton having side and end walls and top and bottom closures, a plurality of cans having axes lying in a plane parallel to said side walls within said carton, tabs cut from the side walls extending outwardly from opposite sides of the carton substantially in the plane of the bottom closure and integral therewith, cans having axes lying in planes perpendicular to the first said plane having bottom surfaces resting on said tabs, and means embracing the side walls of said tab supported cans and binding the same against the side walls of the carton.

4. A can package as set forth in claim 3, wherein upper corners defined by the intersections of said side walls with said top closures are perforated to define finger holes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,850,714 Gaylord Mar. 22, 1932 1,974,792 Berney Sept. 25, 1934 2,324,745 Weber July 20, 1943 2,642,988 Freeman June 23, 1953 2,656,959 Currie Oct. 27, 1953 2,667,995 Bruce et a1. Feb. 2, 1954 

